nationals

Madson rejoins club, could rejoin roster in days (Nats down 2-0)

August 25, 2018, 11:02am

NEW YORK - Ryan Madson rejoined the Nationals today after a week spent with his personal trainer in Phoenix. Whether the veteran reliever will be ready to rejoin the Nationals' active roster in the next few days depends on how he comes out of a planned bullpen session before Sunday's game. Out since August 12, when he served up a walk-off grand slam at Wrigley Field and afterward revealed he had shooting back pain that went down his leg and hindered his ability to pitch, Madson spent the week...

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Game 130 lineups: Nats at Mets

August 25, 2018, 8:36am

Nationals

NEW YORK - We know the Nationals' offensive production has been awfully hit-or-miss - no pun intended, though actually, yes pun intended - this season, and we got a good glimpse of that Friday night when a group that has been pretty effective over the last month was completely shut down by underwhelming left-hander Jason Vargas. What reason is there to believe today will be different? Well, for starters the Nats are facing a different starter, one they've enjoyed much success against over the...

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Lefty matchup backfires late in Friday's loss

August 24, 2018, 8:30pm

Nationals

Lefty matchup backfires late in Friday's loss

NEW YORK - Davey Martinez was talking Friday afternoon about one benefit of his ever-changing bullpen: the ability to bring in one or two left-handers to matchup for one or two batters late in a game. That wasn't the case only a few weeks ago, when Sammy SolÃs was the only lefty used in that kind of situation (despite his reverse splits that showed he was more effective against right-handed batters) and Matt Grace was forced into a long-relief role. Now, since SolÃs was demoted to...

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Nationals shut out again, fall back under .500 (updated)

August 24, 2018, 5:46pm

Nationals

NEW YORK - It was one thing when the Nationals were shut out Thursday afternoon by Aaron Nola and Pat Neshek. It was quite another thing when they did the exact same thing tonight against Jason Vargas, Seth Lugo and Robert Gsellman. So much for any positive momentum to come out of their back-to-back, come-from-behind wins over the Phillies to begin the week. Since Ryan Zimmerman's dramatic walk-off homer Wednesday night, the Nationals have been shut out twice, capped by tonight's lifeless 3-0...

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Strasburg will make next start on regular turn (Nats down 1-0)

August 24, 2018, 2:18pm

Nationals

Strasburg will make next start on regular turn (Nats down 1-0)

NEW YORK - Though his return from the disabled list earlier this week raised some red flags, Stephen Strasburg will make his next scheduled start for the Nationals early next week. Strasburg, who returned from a month-long stint on the DL due to a neck injury and lasted only four innings against the Phillies with diminished velocity, threw a between-starts bullpen session this afternoon and emerged feeling well, according to manager Davey Martinez. Strasburg threw roughly 40 pitches during the...

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Opposite dugout: Mets picking up pieces with eye toward 2019

August 21, 2018, 2:12pm

Nationals

Opposite dugout: Mets picking up pieces with eye toward 2019

Manager: Mickey Callaway (1st season) Record: 56-71 Last 10 games: 6-4 Who to watch: LF Michael Conforto (18 HR, 51 RBIs), 3B Todd Frazier (14 HR, 46 RBIs), 1B Wilmer Flores (.278/.332/.447 with 47 RBIs), SS Amed Rosario (6 3B, 14 SB), RHP Zack Wheeler (3.63 ERA), RHP Robert Gsellman (7 saves) Season series vs. Nationals: 6-6 Pitching probables: Aug. 24: LHP Gio Gonzalez (7-10) vs. LHP Jason Vargas (3-8), 7:10 p.m., MASN2Aug. 25: RHP Tanner Roark (8-12) vs. RHP Zack Wheeler (8-6), 4:05 p.m.,...

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Martinez offers updates on Madson and Doolittle ahead of Mets series

August 24, 2018, 2:52am

Nationals

Martinez offers updates on Madson and Doolittle ahead of Mets series

Nationals manager Davey Martinez had some positive updates on relievers Sean Doolittle and Ryan Madson as the team prepares to face off against the New York Mets tonight at Citi Field. "Actually, Doolittle threw (Thursday) and looked pretty good. We'll see how he feels (today), and we'll go from there. Madson, he's going to meet us in New York and we'll see how he's feeling. Madson, if he's good, I don't think he'll need to go down and pitch. I think he'll be good to go because it...

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Game 129 lineups: Nats at Mets

August 24, 2018, 11:41am

Nationals

NEW YORK - Gio Gonzalez's season has, by every measure, been a colossal disappointment. If you want to compile a list of things that went wrong this year, the lefty's performance ranks high. One positive constant remains for Gonzalez, though: He still dominates the Mets. Gonzalez enters tonight's start at Citi Field the owner of a 15-5 record and 2.90 ERA in 25 career starts versus New York. And that includes a 1-0 record and 2.53 ERA in his two head-to-head matchups this season. Both of...

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Scherzer good for Nats, Nola better in 2-0 Phillies win

August 23, 2018, 12:48pm

Nationals

Scherzer good for Nats, Nola better in 2-0 Phillies win

On this day, in a battle of National League Cy Young candidates, Max Scherzer was good, but Aaron Nola was just a little bit better. Scherzer went seven innings, allowing only a two-run homer by OdÃºbel Herrera in the seventh that lifted the Phillies past the Nationals 2-0, preventing a three-game sweep. Scherzer allowed just one other hit, struck out 10 and walked four. He threw 109 pitches, 65 for strikes. It was the 14th time this season he has stuck out 10 or more batters in a game and...

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Ryan Sullivan: What will Nationals lineup look like in 2019?

August 24, 2018, 5:50am

Nationals

Earlier this week, the Nationals traded Matt Adams to the Cardinals and Daniel Murphy to the Cubs, the first legitimate signs Washington had essentially conceded its playoff chances this season. These two deals netted an intriguing prospect in Andruw Monasterio, while hopefully trimming payroll below the luxury tax figure, both positives for the future. Also, it will give players like Wilmer Difo significant playing time in September to earn spots for next season. But this left me speculating...

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Zimmerman sore, gets day off; updates on Strasburg, Difo, Soto

August 23, 2018, 8:27am

Nationals

Zimmerman sore, gets day off; updates on Strasburg, Difo, Soto

Fresh off his dramatic two-out, walk-off two-run shot in the bottom of the ninth inning last night, Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman is not in the starting lineup for the series finale against the Phillies. Manager Davey Martinez said he spoke with Zimmerman late last night and made the decision to give him the day off. But the manager advised him to be ready for a late-game pinch-hitting opportunity. "It's part of our communication," Martinez said. "At the end of the game, I talk to...

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Scherzer against Nola is as advertised (Nats fall 2-0)

August 23, 2018, 10:01am

Nationals

Scherzer against Nola is as advertised (Nats fall 2-0)

The Aaron Nola versus Max Scherzer matchup has lived up to its billing in the first three innings. The Nationals have two hits and the Phillies have yet to connect against Scherzer, but have drawn a pair of walks. The best chance for the Nats early on came in the third inning. Spencer Kieboom led off with a double into the left field corner. Scherzer laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to move Kieboom to third with less one out. But Nola struck out Adam Eaton with a curveball and Trea Turner...

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Bullpen steps up to make late heroics possible

August 22, 2018, 9:12pm

Nationals

Bullpen steps up to make late heroics possible

For 8 2/3 innings Wednesday night, the most significant thing that happened at Nationals Park was Stephen Strasburg's worrisome return from the disabled list, a shaky four-inning start that raised questions about the right-hander's health and stamina. Then with one dramatic swing, Ryan Zimmerman stole the show and added to his already impressive legacy with the 11th walk-off homer of his career, propelling the roller coaster that is the 2018 Nationals to back-to-back wins over the Phillies...

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Game 128 lineups: Nats vs. Phillies

August 23, 2018, 5:53am

Nationals

The Nationals have won the first two games of this critical series against the Phillies in comeback fashion. The Nats trailed in each game only to comeback for 10-4 and 8-7 victories. On Tuesday, they were down 4-1 but scored nine unanswered runs to win 10-4. On Wednesday, they were down 3-0, 3-1, 4-1, 5-4, 6-5, 7-5 and 7-6 only to win 8-7 on a Ryan Zimmerman two-run walk-off homer with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. The pair of wins for the Nats were their first back-to-back against the...

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The kid and the veteran team up for one shining moment

August 22, 2018, 8:24pm

Nationals

The kid and the veteran team up for one shining moment

The first time he did it, way back on Father's Day 2006 off the Yankees' Chien-Ming Wang, Ryan Zimmerman was a 21-year-old rookie third baseman, with a whole career still ahead of him and no clue how winding a path he would take despite spending all of it as a National. Juan Soto? He was a 7-year-old kid in Santo Domingo who perhaps already had dreams of one day playing in the major leagues but surely could not have envisioned playing alongside Zimmerman in a ballpark in Washington that had...

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Strasburg says return is "work in progress," cites endurance as a factor

August 22, 2018, 8:01pm

Nationals

Strasburg says return is "work in progress," cites endurance as a factor

Right-hander Stephen Strasburg didn't pitch as well as wanted in his return to the mound Wednesday night. But Strasburg was all smiles afterward, thanks to a dramatic two-run walk-off homer from Ryan Zimmerman that completed another comeback for the Nationals in an 8-7 win over the Phillies. Strasburg struck out the first two batters he faced on called third strikes. But then he gave up back-to-back doubles, a homer and a single. Suddenly, the Phillies led 3-0 in the first inning. Maikel...

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Zimmerman to the rescue with 11th career walk-off homer

August 22, 2018, 6:58pm

Nationals

Zimmerman to the rescue with 11th career walk-off homer

There is plenty still for the Nationals to be concerned about, most notably Stephen Strasburg's health after a worrisome performance in his return from the disabled list tonight. But remarkably, there are still reasons for this team to have some optimism no matter how hopeless their situation appears, and tonight an old friend provided the moment that helped raise those hopes another notch. Trailing with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Ryan Zimmerman launched a game-ending, two-run homer...

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Martinez on calling plays for Difo and his choice for a backup at second base

August 22, 2018, 2:09pm

Nationals

Martinez on calling plays for Difo and his choice for a backup at second base

The Nationals reinstated right-hander Stephen Strasburg for tonight's start against the Phillies and sent infielder Adrian Sanchez back to Triple-A Syracuse. Manager Davey Martinez said the Nats kept an extra pitcher because they had to use seven relievers to win the first game of the series that was delayed for almost two hours because of rain Monday. "Just the way the game played out yesterday with our bullpen," Martinez said. "The fact that (Tanner) Roark couldn't go back out, so we...

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Harper ignites offense again (Zimmerman's walk-off homer gives Nats 8-7 win)

August 22, 2018, 4:28pm

Nationals

Harper ignites offense again (Zimmerman's walk-off homer gives Nats 8-7 win)

It looked like Stephen Strasburg was on target when he caught CÃ©sar HernÃ¡ndez and Rhys Hoskins looking to begin the game. But then he allowed four hits in a row, including back-to-back doubles by AsdrÃºbal Cabrera and Justin Bour. Maikel Franco then made 3-0 with a two-run shot to left field on a 3-2 pitch. It was his 21st homer of the season. The Nationals got one back in the bottom of the first. With two outs against Phillies starter Zach Elfin, Bryce Harper reached on a bunt single...

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What's the state of Nats bullpen entering tonight's game?

August 22, 2018, 2:13pm

Nationals

What's the state of Nats bullpen entering tonight's game?

Tuesday night's 10-4 win over the Phillies took a lot out of the Nationals. They only got three innings out of Tanner Roark because of a 1-hour, 45-minute rain delay that prevented the starter from retaking the mound. That forced an already makeshift bullpen to churn out six innings, with no true long man available after Tommy Milone threw four innings in garbage time during Sunday's blowout loss to the Marlins and then landed on the disabled list with left shoulder inflammation. Davey...